In a novel initiative, UP government has decided to provide formal training in traditional Indian wrestling or ‘kushti’ to about 73,000 girls studying at 746 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas.

Next time a miscreant dares to harass a girl studying at any Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) in Uttar Pradesh, he may well get the punishment of a lifetime and made to lick the dust in the typical Phogat sisters’ style, literally.

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“The initiative will make girls stronger and give a boost to their confidence. Self-defence skills will help them take on molesters and harassers. The training will be given in schools under the supervision of school wardens.” --Sanjay Kumar Kushwaha, BSA, Allahabad

In a novel initiative, the state government has decided to provide formal training in traditional Indian wrestling or ‘kushti’ to about 73,000 girls studying at 746 KGBVs.

To boost the confidence of girls and arm them with self-defence skills, the Lucknow-based Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan project headquarters has instructed basic shiksha adhikaris (BSAs) of all the 75 districts to organise special training sessions ranging from 45 to 90 days.

Trained and qualified women wrestlers will be hired for the programme.

Kasturba Gandhi schools provide free primary and upper primary education to girls. Introduced in August 2004 under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) programme, the objective of KGBVs is to ensure quality education along with boarding facilities for girls by setting up residential schools at elementary level.

In a missive dated October 4, additional state project director of SSA Rajkumari Verma directed the BSAs to start training sessions from October 16.

Though the directive also mentions training in martial arts like karate, judo, taekwondo and boxing, it is for the first time that Indian traditional wrestling has been included in the list of self-defence techniques to be taught to girls.

“Traditional Indian wrestling has a range of techniques like ‘Dhobi Pachad’, ‘Bagal Doob’, ‘Sanditod’ and ‘Kalajang’ for gripping, grappling and pinning down an opponent. These skills will make girls capable of defending themselves when in danger,” said a senior officer in the state education department.

Each school has been sanctioned Rs 10,000-20,000 for the mission. While the school officials are free to choose male trainers for boxing, karate, judo and taekwondo, only women trainers will have to be hired for wrestling.

A committee headed by the principal of District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) would be formed in each district having BSA as its member secretary. District coordinator of girls’ education, district sports officer and district physical education teacher will be the members of the committee.